Chapter 6 : Where is Leah?

*Note: This chapter is written from the perspective of Sue Clearwater.*

"It's been two months now Sam. Two months!" Sam was irritated but I didn't care, if anyone would be able to find my daughter it was him.

"I know Sue, I swear to you we all have been doing everything I can to find her. We checked our entire territory and then some. If she was here or nearby we would have found her by now, maybe if you hadn't waited so long to tell us that she-"

"Sam, stop it! This is not Sue's fault she had no idea Leah planned this at all let alone expected her to stay away this long. None of knew..." Emily said in protest standing beside me to show her support.

Emily was my favorite niece and I admired her ability to soften my rough and tough daughter. Most of the time growing up I believed, no, I knew Emily and Leah were closer then myself and Leah ever truly were. I would change that fact, once she was home.

"I'm not saying that Em', I just don't know how to help here more than I already have." He bowed his head as if he was completely exhausted from all of his efforts, but again I didn't care.

My daughter was alone and I felt deeply that she was afraid and wanting to come home. The desperation to have her by my side was driving me crazy. I couldn't eat well, and hardly slept. I now spent my days waiting by the phone for her to call. Thankfully Charlie fully supported my efforts to find my daughter as did the Cullens. Charlie had sent out missing alerts to every police station and with the help of the Cullens influence he had posted her missing photo as well as notified every police department north and east of La Push from Alaska, across Canada to New York. Even if Leah called tomorrow to tell me she was fine I would be forever grateful for their help.

"Maybe we can try the border again?" Emily suggested after a long moment of unpleasant silence.

"Em'... it's been two months. It's been raining non-stop. Any trace of Leah in the wood is long gone. Considering she could easily be in human form right now and out of our reach for other reasons I can't validate asking my brothers to keep this wild goose chase up forever. I'm sorry Sue but there is nothing we can do but wait." Sam looked me in the eyes and challenged my gaze.

I wanted so badly to attack him that moment. I thought to myself how lucky Leah was to get away from this prick.

"Sam what if just me and you go together? I wanna find my sister more than any of you, if she is human she would have seen the missing posters in any human town by now." Seth had been so quiet I forgot he was even here.

"Seth… as usual you are not hearing what I am saying." Sam's voice was losing its patients.

"Only because you're saying that there's no hope when we both know damn well you are the only one who can find her!" Seth stood up and yelled in Sam's face.

Emily walked between them as she noticed the tension rising between the wolves and Sam immediately backed off holding Emily's swollen waist close to his own.

"I'm sorry Seth, we don't have the connection we use too. Hell even when I thought we were friends I was wrong! Or did you forget Leah left my pack for you and Jacob? You're both holding on to old memories and there's nothing I can do for you. I'm sorry." Sam softened as Emily held him.

"Wolves are not meant to be alone-"I began.

"Which Leah is completely aware of." Sam countered.

"You're abandoning her out of spite. After all she has done for you! For our people! How could you!" I was in tears now, shaking with anger.

"Sue, please don't do this. You know Sam did everything he could." Emily replied as she now cried with me.

"I don't wanna hear it Emily! Maybe you can but I don't believe him! All he cares about is making babies with you! He doesn't care about my daughter and he never has! Seth get your ass in the car now!" I yelled back, grabbing my purse and wiping my eyes.

Seth obeyed immediately and I took off speeding out of their lot. I watched in the rearview mirror as Emily fell to the ground in tears after chasing after my car for a short while. My furry began to dissipate as we drove away and I almost immediately felt terrible for the way things had transpired and for snapping at her. I shouldn't have put this on her, especially considering her condition. Sam was right though I shouldn't have waited so long. Beyond that, I shouldn't have asked Leah to choose between shifting and being a human. It wasn't my place nor was it the right thing to do. Leah didn't need me or anyone else trying to control her destiny.

I forced myself to hold back tears as we drove home in silence.

"So how'd it go?" Charlie was waiting at the door for us.

Ignoring his question, I stormed past him, kicking off my shoes and coat and throwing my purse on the ground in frustration. I then proceeded to slam our bedroom door as I heard Charlie begin to follow me. Instantly I remembered in that moment the millions of times I yelled at my angry not so little teenage Leah for doing the same thing. It made me feel twice as guilty as I already did as I laid face down on the bed and continued to cry. I then realized Charlie had washed the sheets with my favorite smelling detergent and cried even harder.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Charlie was quick for an old man and was now sitting next to me with his hand rubbing up and down my back.

"No." I said through our covers.

"Alright, let's get you in bed." Charlie was a wonderful man. He shouldn't have to take care of me like this but he chooses too which is why I choose him.

I never thought I could love again after Harry died, though our marriage wasn't nearly as love filled as my relationship with Charlie had become. Charlie, he was my soul mate. I may not be a shapeshifter but I knew the moment he asked me for a drink at Bella's wedding that something in my world had shifted and from that day on it was impossible to not enjoy or crave his company.

"I have to call Emily in the morning and apologize…" I reluctantly whispered.

"Uh oh. That bad huh?" He replied, as he kicked off his slippers and began to snuggle up next to me.

"Maybe worse… I called Sam a liar." I said as I curled myself into his side.

"Oh boy. How'd he take that? If you don't mind me asking." He said worried that he was pushing too far.

"I don't. You deserve to know how many enemies your future wife is creating." I said as I gently kissed his lips. "You need to trim that bush on your lip young man." I said and we both laughed together, breaking my sadness for a moment. "Sam didn't seem all that concerned but Emily… well... she was crying in the dirt as we drove away… I feel like a monster Charlie." My voice cracked as I was choking back my cries now.

"Don't sweetheart. They all know what you're going through Sue, when Bella went and took off I freaked out so bad I about lost it on everyone-"

"Well I guess that's the difference between me and you… when I saw Leah's note I shook it off and threw it in the trash. I didn't think anything of it until more than three weeks later! I'm a terrible mother…" I said as I began allow myself to cry again.

"My love… that is not true." Charlie proclaimed through the start of tears as he held me closer.

"If it's not, then where is my daughter? Where is Leah!?" I began to cry harder and then felt the warmth of my son Seth as he wrapped himself around Charlie and I. I cried myself to sleep in their arms, repeating in my head over and over again until I was too exhausted to keep my mind awake… Where is Leah?... Where is Leah?... Where is Leah?…

Thank you all for reading! If you have not already, head to my profile to check out my newest project "The Canadian Coven Guide" in which each day for five days I will be releasing back stories to the new Vampire Coven mentioned in Chapter 4: Trouble, feel free to leave a comment or review! Happy reading!

Today I will be releasing the backstory of: Rayland